Engine starter



Feb. 9, 1932. M. P. WHITNEY ENGINE STARTER Filed April 5, 1928 I if? 772591666 M 74 Alex M. P. WHITNEY ENGINE STARTER Feb. 9, 1932.

Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Midi/2C6)? m if? M AmW6mWW Feb. 9, 1932. M. P. WHITNEY 1,844,000

ENGINE STARTER Filed April 5. 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q i Q I Feb. 9, 1932. M. P. WHITNEY 1,844,000

ENGINE STARTER Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 M. P. WHITNEY ENGINE STARTER Feb. 9, 1932.

Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 9, 1932. WHJTNEY I 1,844,000

ENGINE STARTER Filed April 5, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 the engine starts on its own power.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAURICE P. WHITNEY, OF' ELMIRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T ECLIPSE MACHINE COH- PANY, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK Enema sranrm Application filed April 5, 1928.

My invention relates to engine starting apparatus for the starting of internal combustion engines and more particularly, but not necessarily, automobile engines. object is to provide a simple, eflicient and reliable drive or transmission between the prime mover, such as an electric motor, and a member of the engine to be started, such as the flywheel thereof. This drive is of that manual-shift type in which the enginedriving member, shiftable manually (i. e., by the operator) to bring it into engagement with the engine flywheel, is cagable of automatic disengagement from the ywheel when Its embodiment may be in keeping, in many features, with m copending application Serial No. 205,900, led July 15, 1927, involving an engine-driving member automatically controlled as to some of its actions by a motordriven screw member with respect to which it has a limited range of longitudinal travel, the screw member being manually shiftable longitudinally to change the locus of such travel-range of the driving member, and suitable positioning-means, such as an abutmentmember, being provided for positioning the driving member at substantially the forward end of its travel-range with respect to the screw member when said screw member stands in idle or retracted position. The present invention is characterized by provision for automatic movement of such positioning means in timed relation to longitudinal shifting-movements of the screw member for advantageous results in the operation of the apparatus.

For attainment of these and other objects, which will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, my invention consists in the features of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, of a starting apparatus embodying my invention and showing the parts thereof in their normal or idle positions;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on a larger scale,

Its general Serial No. 267,586.

but showing the parts in first stage of manual advancement Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in final stage of manual advancement;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional detail on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the shifter and positioning-abutment Fig. 5 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, showing a modified embodiment of my invention with the parts in their normal positions;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts in first stage of manual advancement;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the parts in final stage of manual advancement; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail of the cong'ol-lever mounting, viewed from line 8-8 of Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, 10 indicates a prime mover in the form of an electric motor which is to exert power through an engine driving member 11, such as an internally-threaded, externally-toothed pinion, to rotate a member of the engine to be started, such as its flywheel 12 having teeth 13 for pinion-engagement. Manual means are provided for shifting the driving member in engine-engaging direction and for thereafter closing a motor-controlling switch to start the motor 10." Thus, 14 is a foot-depressible plunger extending through the floor-board 15 of the automobile, having connections (presently to be described) for controlling the longitudinally shiftable parts of the drive and having also an adjustable striker-screw 16 arranged to operate the motor-starting push-switch 17 for controlling (through usual connections, not shown) the starting and stopping of electric motor 10. Preferably the drivestructure is carried by this motor, the motor having a frame-extension 18 projecting forward over the flywheel-gear 13 to give outboard support for the drive-parts.

In the simple construction of drive here shown, motor-shaft 20 is extended past gear 13 and its forward portion is splined as at 21 for driving coaction with the screw-member 22 which here takes form as a sleeve that is slidable axially relative to shaft 20. Long lead threads 23 of the screw-member engage the threaded bore of the pinion 11 which thus has a range of axial travel on the screw member limited, in the construction shown, by stop-collar 24 secured on the forward end of the screw-member and by the abrupt heel 25 of one or more thread-grooves of the screw-member. Within this range of movement the pinion may, at times, be caused to travel forwardly or rearwardly by reason of diflerence in rotative speeds between the screw member and pinion, and when the pinion is in advanced position, contacting with stop 24, rotation of the mo-.

tor shaft 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow will drivingly rotate the pinion.

When the axially-shiftable screw member 22 is in its normal, idle position shown in Fig. 1, pinion 11 is retracted from possible engagement with the flywheel gear 13, but axial shifting of the screw member 22 to the advanced position shown in Fig. 3 shifts the locus of plnion-travel so that pinion 11 may engage or disengage the flywheel gear accordingly as the pinion is at the front or rear end of its range of travel. When the screwmember 22 is retracted to normal position the pinion 11 is positively positioned at the forward end of its travel-range relative to said screw-member, the positioning-means being an abutment-structure 26 of yoke form, having pins 27 to coact with a flange 28 fixedly mounted on pinion 11.

According to my present invention the abutment-member 26 is automatically shiftable to disabled or inactive position, and as here shown it is so correlated with the shifter for screw member 22 and with the operating plunger 14 that when the plunger is depressed and the screw-sleeve consequently shifted forward axially toward the flywheel the abutment-structure 26 is automatically retracted to disabled or inactive position, there to remain until the screw member is retracted,

. substantially fully, to its normal, initial position, after which the abutment-member 26 will be restored to its active, pinion-positioning station.

In the specific embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, 30 is a shifter for the screw-member 22, arranged to slide on a longitudinal guide rod 31 which is fixed at its ends in a suitable boss 10 on the motor frame and an outboard bearing in frame-extension 18. The tubular body, or sleeve-portion 32,

of this shifter carries a yoke 33 extending down between the flanges 34 of the screwmember 22, and rollers 35 on the yoke-ends fit neatly between such flanges. The sliding movement of the shifter rearwardly on its guide-rod 31 is limited by the pin-and-slot connection 36 between them. Spring 37 coiled around the rod 31, normally holds the shifter at its rearmost or retracted position.

In this particular construction the abutment-yoke 26 preferably comprises two lever-arms 40 pivoted as at 41 to the body of shifter 30, the upper ends of these levers making rocking engagement between fingers 42 of a projection 43 from the operating head 44. This head 44, in the construction here shown, is slidably mounted on guide rod 31, is operatively connected as by link 45 with the actuating'plunger 14, and is normally retracted by a spring 46 to its rearmost limit of movement where it abuts against boss 10 of the motor-frame. As shown in Fig. 1, when both the shifter 30 and the operating head 44 are fully retracted there is a lost-motion space 47 betweenthem, for purposes that will presently appear.

In operating this apparatus to start the engine, the plunger-pedal 14 is depressed full-stroke. Through link 45 the actuating head 44 is moved to the left, first moving relatively to the shifter 30 until it closes the lost-motion space 47 and arrives at position shown in Fig. 2, and then carrying with it said shifter for the balance of the forward excursion of head 44 to Fig. 3 position. As the operating head 44 moves to Fig. 2 position it rocks the pinion-positioning abutment 26 to disabled, retracted position shown in Fig. 2, where the abutment pins 27 may not engage the pinion-flange 28 even when the pinion is at the heel 25 of the screw-member 22. Ordinarily this disabling retraction of the abutment is maintained unchanged until the shifter and abutment parts have completed their forward excursion to Fig. 3 position and have returned to Fig. 2 position in the return-course of their motion, and until this return occurs the pinion 11 is controlled wholly by 'the screw member and the engine member.

Advancement of the screw member 22 with the shifter 30 from position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 ordinarily engages the pinion 11 with flywheel gear 13. Should the teeth of the two gear-members abut endwise, however, the consequent backing up of the pinion relative to the screw-member tends to bring the pinion-teeth into registry with those of the flywheel gear, insuring engagement between these parts.

At substantially the end of the forward excursion of these drive-parts, starting switch 17 for the motor 10 is closed and motor torque is transmitted through the driving member to the flywheel. As soon as the engine picks up and runs under its own power, the pinion 11 is screwed backwardly along the threads of screw-member 22 to the heel 25 of the threads. This automatic return of the pinion is not interfered with by the abutment structure 26 regardless of the celerity with which the operator may release the plunger 14 after spinning the engine. If the operator fails to release the plunger 14 promptly, the pinion spins backwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.

3; if he releases plunger 14 very quickly so that back-spinning of the pinion and retrac- 5 tion of the operatm head 44 are simultaneous, the screw-mem er 22 will be fully retracted by shifter 30 before the abutment member 26 is rocked forward from its disabled position.

At the conclusion of the return-course of the manually-operated parts the movable abutment 26 will be thrown forward to functioning position, carrying pinion 11 to the forward end of its travel-range relative to screw-member 22 duringthe time that operating-head 44 is moving, relatively to the shifter-member 30, from Fig. 2 position to Fig. 1 position. Should the engine fail to start when the motor-torque is applied, release of the plunger 14 will result in prompt restoration of the drive-parts to normal position. Opening of the motor-switch 17 is of initial occurrence in the return-course of the manually-operated parts. Should the pinion tend to stick in the flywheel gear because of the driving-pressure, operating head 44 will pull away a little from the shifter 33, permitting the motor switch to open and relieve the driving pressure so that the return spring 37 for the shifter 30 may easily pull the pinion out of mesh with the flywheel ear. g In the modified construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the shifter and the actuating head are mounted to rock on a pivot rather than to slide on a guide-rod. Link 45 connects plunger 14 with an actuating head 50 pivoted on a shaft 51 and having a crank-arm projection 52 to cooperate with the movable abutmentstructure 53 and having finger 54 adapted to pick up and move the rocking shifter-structure 55 after taking up the lost-motion allowed by space 56' (Fig. 5) between the pick-up finger and the shifter. The abutshifter 55 and, above said pivot, is connected by link 58 to the crank-arm 52 of the operating-head 50.

This system of rocking members is pivoted in the top-opening of a suitable frame extension 18 and contractile springs 46 and 37 are respectively provided for normally positioning the operating head 50 and the shifter 55, respectively, in retracted position, shoulder 20 on the motor-shaft 20 (Fig. 7) serving as a stop for the shifter-connected parts.

In operation, the sequence of operations is effectively the same as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4. On depression of the manual actuating plunger 14 the operating head 50 is first rocked relatively to the shifter to take up the lost-motion space 56 and, through link connection 58, to rock the abutment-member 53 to disabled position shown ment-menber 53 is pivoted as at 57 to the in Fig. 6, before picking up the shifter-structure 55 and moving it, together with the screw sleeve, to advanced osition.

While I have herein escribed particular embodiments of my invention in advantaeous forms for purposes of full disclosure, 1t will be understood that many other variations in embodiment ma" be made Without departure from the spirit of my invention within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw member, means to rotate it, a driving member adapted to engage when fully advanced a member of an engine to be started and operatively associated with said screw-member for a range of screw-governed longitudinal travel and to be rotatively driven through said screw member, means for shifting said screw member longitudinally to change the locus of said driving members travel-range, and retractible means independent of said rotativelydriven parts for positioning said driving member at the forward end of said travelrange when said screw-member is retracted.

2. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftabl'e screw member, means to rotate it, a driving member adapted when fully advanced to engage a member of an engine to be started and operatively associated with said screw-member for a range of screw-governed longitudinal travel and to be rotatively driven at the forward end of said range, manually-controlled means for longitudinally shifting said screw-member to change the locus of said driving members travel-range, and means for positioning said driving member at the forward end of its travel-range when said screw-member is retracted, said positioning means being inter connected with said shifting means for movement. to disabled position when'said'screwmember is advanced.

3. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shift-able screw-member, means to rotate it, a driving member adapted when fully advanced to engage a member of an engine to be started and operatively associated with said screw-member for a range of screw-governed longitudinal travel relative thereto and to be drivingly rotated through said screw-member, means for normally positioning said driving member at the forward end of its travel-range relative to said screw-member, and combined means for retracting said positioning means to disabled position and advancing said screw-member to working position.

4. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw-member, means to rotate it, a driving member adapted when fully advanced to engage a member of an engine to be started and operatively associated with said screw-member for a range .of screw-governed longitudinal travel relative thereto and to be drivingly rotated through said screw-member, means for normally positioning said driving member at the orward end of its travel-range relative to said screw-member, and manually operable means for retracting said positioning means to disabled position and advancing said screw-member to working position.

5. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally shiftable screw-member, means to rotate it, a driving member adapted when fully advanced to engage a member of an engine to be started and operatively associated with said screw-member for a range of screw-governed longitudinal travel relative thereto and to be drivingly rotated through said screw-member, means for normally positioning said driving member at the forward end of its travel-ran e relative to said screw-member, and com ined means manually operable first to retract said positioning means to disabled position and finally to restore the same to operative position and between such retraction and restoration to advance and retract said screw-member.

6. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw-member, means to rotate it, means to advance and retract it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable through said screw-member to engage and drive when fully advanced a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screwmember for automatic disengagement from said engine member, means for positively positioning said driving member at substantially the forward end of its range of travel relative to said screw-member when the latter is retracted, and means independent of said rotatively driven parts for automatically moving said positioning means to disabled position.

7. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw-member, means to rotate it, a shifter to advance and retract it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable through said screw-member to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screw-member for automatic disengagement from said engine member, means to positively position said driving member at the forward end of its travelrange relative to said screw-member, and means for retracting said positioning means to disabled position and having lost-motion connection with said shifting means for sequential operation thereof.

8. An engine starter drive including a rotatable driving shaft, a sleeve shiftable longitudinally thereon and rotated thereby, a driving member mounted on said sleeve for longitudinal movement thereon and therewith and rotary movement therewith adapted when fully advanced longitudinally to engage amember of the engine to be started, an abutment for positioning said drivin member forwardly on said sleeve, means For longitudinally shifting said sleeve, and means independent of said rotatable parts for moving said abutment to and from disabled position.

,9. An engine starter drive including a rotatable driving shaft, a sleeve shiftable longitudinally thereon and rotated thereby, a driving member mounted on said sleeve for longitudinal movement thereon and therewith and rotar movement therewith adapted when fully a vanced longitudinally to engage a member of the engine to be started, an abutment for positioning said driving member forwardly on said sleeve, and combined means manually operatable for longitudinally shifting said sleeve and moving said abutment to and from disabled position in predetermined sequence.

10. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw-member, means to rotate it, means to advance and retract it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable through said screw-member to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screw member for automatic disengagement from the engine member, means operative when the screw member is retracted to position said driving member at the forward end of its travel-range, and means for automatically moving said positioning means to disabled position in timed relation to the advance of said screw-member, whereby said positioning means is inoperative to resist automatic disengagement of the driving member or to cause reengagement thereof with the engine member.

11. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw-member, means to rotate it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable though said screwmember to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screw-member for automatic disengagement from the engine member, and combined means for moving said screw-member and said positioning means comprising an operating head, a shifter for the screw-member having lost motion connection with said operating head, and connections for moving said positioning means bodily carried by said shifter and movable relatively thereto by said operating head.

12. An engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shifta-ble screw-member, means to rotate it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable through said screwmember to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screwmember for automatic disengagement from the engine member, and combined means for mqving said screw-member and said positioning means comprising an operating head, a shifter for the screw-member having lostmotion connection with said operating head, connections for moving said positioning means bodily carried by said shifter and movable relatively thereto by said operating head, and manual means for moving said operating head.

13. An engine starter drive including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screwmember, means to rotate it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable through said screw-member to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screwmember for automatic disengagement from the engine member, a manually movable operating head, a shifter for said screw-member having lost-motion connection therewith and movable thereby, an abutment structure carried by said shifter and movable with respect to it by said operating head for positioning said driving member forwardly with respect to said screw-member when said screw-member is in retracted position.

14. An engine starter drive including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screwmember, means to rotate it, a driving member shiftable with and rotatable through said screw-member to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started and arranged for rearward travel relatively to said screwmember for automatic disengagement from the engine member, a manually movable op- ;erating head, a shifter for said screw-member having lost-motion connection with and movable by said operating head, an abut.- ment structure pivoted to said shifter for bodily movement therewith and operatively connected with said operating head for movemetn thereby relative to said shifter for positioning said driving member at substantially its forward position relatively to said screw-member when said manually controlled parts are fully retracted.

15. In an engine starter including a rows tatable, longitudinally shiftable screw memr, means to rotate it, a driving member adapted to engage when fully advanced a member of the engine to be started, said driving member being operatively associated with said screw member for a range of screwggverned longitudinal travel and adapted to rotatively driven through said screw member and to be automatically demeshed from the engine member by travel rearwardly along said screw member, means for shifting said screw, member longitudinally to change the locus of said driving members travel-range, and means for positionin said driving member at the forward end 0 said travel range when said screw member is re- I tracted, said means being retractible to prevent contact of the driving member therewith while said screw member is being retracted.

16. In an engine starter including a rotatable, longitudinally-shiftable screw member, means to rotate it, a drivin member adapted to engage. when fully a vanced a member of the engine to be started and operatively associated with said screw-member for a range of screw-governed longitudinal travel thereon and to be rotativel driven through said screw member, means or shifting said screw member longitudinally to change the locus of said driving members travel range, means for positioning said driving member at the forward end of said travel range when said screw member is retracted, said means being retractible longitudinally relatively to the position of said screw member, and means independent of said rotatable parts for retracting said retractible means.

MAURICE P. WHITNEY. 

